12.021
Library: Divine sages advise Yudhishthira - The knower of dharma should restrain the wicked, favour the good, and, having established his subjects on the path of righteousness, conduct himself accordingly.
devasthāna uvāca॥
The temple spoke:
atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। indreṇa samaye pṛṣṭo yaduvāca bṛhaspatiḥ ॥12-21-1॥
Right here, they recount this ancient story: When Indra asked at that time, Bṛhaspati spoke as follows.
santoṣo vai svargatamaḥ santoṣaḥ paramaṃ sukham। tuṣṭer na kiñcit parataḥ susamyak paritiṣṭhati ॥12-21-2॥
Contentment is truly the highest heaven; contentment is the greatest happiness. Nothing stands better than contentment.
yadā saṁharate kāmān kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ। tadātmajyotirātmaiva svātmanai'va prasīdati ॥12-21-3॥
When one withdraws all desires like a tortoise withdraws its limbs, then the self, shining by its own light, becomes peaceful by itself.
na bibheti yadā cāyaṃ yadā cāsmān na bibhyati। kāmadveṣau ca jayati tad ātmānaṃ prapaśyati ॥12-21-4॥
When this person does not fear, and when he does not fear us, and conquers desire and hatred, then he clearly perceives the self.
yadāsau sarvabhūtānāṃ na krudhyati na duṣyati। karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma sampadyate tadā ॥12-21-5॥
When a person, towards all beings, neither becomes angry nor is corrupted in action, mind, or speech, then he attains Brahman.
evaṃ kaunteya bhūtāni taṃ taṃ dharmaṃ tathā tathā। tadā tadā prapaśyanti tasmādbudhyasva bhārata ॥12-21-6॥
O son of Kunti, beings perceive their respective duties in various ways at different times; therefore, O Bharata, understand this.
anye śamaṃ praśaṃsanti vyāyāmam-apare tathā। na ekaṃ na ca aparam kecid-ubhayam ca tathā apare ॥12-21-7॥
Some praise tranquility, others praise exertion; some do not praise either one or the other, while some others praise both.
yajñam eke praśaṁsanti saṁnyāsam apare janāḥ। dānam eke praśaṁsanti kecid eva pratigraham॥ kecit sarvaṁ parityajya tūṣṇīṁ dhyāyanta āsate॥12-21-8॥
Some people praise sacrifice, others praise renunciation; some praise charity, and some praise only the acceptance of gifts. Some, having abandoned everything, sit in silence and meditate.
rājyam eke praśaṁsanti sarveṣāṁ paripālanam। hatvā bhittvā ca chittvā ca kecid ekāntaśīlinaḥ ॥12-21-9॥
Some praise the rule and protection of all; others, after killing, piercing, and cutting, are devoted to solitude.
etatsarvaṃ samālokya budhānāmeṣa niścayaḥ। adroheṇaiva bhūtānāṃ yo dharmaḥ sa satāṃ mataḥ ॥12-21-10॥
After considering all this, the wise have concluded: the duty which consists in non-injury to beings is regarded as the highest by the virtuous.
adrohaḥ satyavacanaṃ saṃvibhāgo dhṛtiḥ kṣamā। prajanaḥ sveṣu dāreṣu mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam ॥12-21-11॥
Absence of hostility, speaking the truth, sharing with others, steadfastness, forgiveness, having offspring, gentleness with one's own wives, modesty, and absence of fickleness.
dhanaṃ dharmapradhāneṣṭaṃ manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt। tasmādevaṃ prayatnena kaunteya paripālaya ॥12-21-12॥
Manu Svāyambhuva declared, "Wealth is to be sought when righteousness is primary." Therefore, O son of Kunti, you should protect it diligently in this way.
yo hi rājye sthitaḥ śaśvadvaśī tulyapriyāpriyaḥ। kṣatriyo yajñaśiṣṭāśī rājaśāstrārthatattvavit ॥12-21-13॥
He who, established in the kingdom, is always self-controlled, impartial to pleasure and displeasure, a Kṣatriya who partakes of the remnants of sacrifice and knows the true essence of royal scriptures.
asādhunigraharataḥ sādhūnāṃ pragrahe rataḥ। dharme vartmani saṃsthāpya prajā varteta dharmavit ॥12-21-14॥
The knower of dharma should restrain the wicked, favor the good, and, having established his subjects on the path of righteousness, conduct himself accordingly.
putrasaṅkrāmitaśrīstu vane vanyena vartayan। vidhinā śrāmaṇenaiva kuryātkālamatandritaḥ ॥12-21-15॥
But when a man's prosperity has passed to his son, he should live in the forest, sustaining himself on forest produce, following the rules like an ascetic, and spend his time diligently.
ya evaṃ vartate rājā rājadarmaviniścitaḥ। tasyāyaṃ ca paraścaiva lokaḥ syātsaphalo nṛpa ॥ nirvāṇaṃ tu suduṣpāraṃ bahuvighnaṃ ca me matam ॥12-21-16॥
A king who acts in this way, firmly established in the duties of kingship, will find both this world and the next fruitful, O king. However, in my opinion, liberation is very difficult to attain and is beset with many obstacles.
evaṃ dharmam-anukrāntāḥ satya-dāna-tapaḥ-parāḥ। ānṛśaṃsya-guṇair-yuktāḥ kāma-krodha-vivarjitāḥ ॥12-21-17॥
Thus, having followed dharma, devoted to truth, charity, and austerity, endowed with the qualities of compassion, and free from desire and anger.
prajānāṃ pālane yuktā damam uttamam āsthitāḥ। gobrāhmaṇārthaṃ yuddhena samprāptā gatim uttamām ॥12-21-18॥
They, engaged in protecting the people and practicing supreme self-restraint, attained the highest state through battle for the sake of cows and Brāhmaṇas.
evaṃ rudrāḥ savasavastathādityāḥ parantapa | sādhyā rājarṣisaṅghāśca dharmametaṃ samāśritāḥ ॥ apramattāstataḥ svargaṃ prāptāḥ puṇyaiḥ svakarmabhiḥ ॥12-21-19॥
O scorcher of foes, thus the Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Sādhyas, and assemblies of royal sages have all resorted to this dharma. By being vigilant, they attained heaven through the merits of their own actions.
